Meet Fatima Sana: From tape-ball cricket in Karachi to Pakistan's fast-bowling captain

Just hours after Fatima Sana’s all-round show of unbeaten 55 runs at number eight when the top seven added only 31 runs among them besides picking up 3/16 in 2.5 overs in a close-fought contest against South Africa at Edgbaston in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 clash, the Pakistan captain scripted her name in the record book.

Fatima became the first Pakistan woman player to be signed in The Hundred after being selected by Birmingham Phoenix as the wildcard pick. In February, it was reported that the four franchises of the league with links to the Indian Premier League (IPL) were not expected to sign Pakistan players, mirroring the long-standing position of the T20 event in India.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) subsequently wrote to all eight teams to remind them of their responsibilities regarding anti-discrimination. But the board and the franchises later stated that players must not be excluded on the grounds of nationality.

Fatima was one of the two Pakistan women’s players, along with the spinner Sadia Iqbal, who went unsold at the original auction in March. But the former has been going through a superb touch in the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup 2026. She also picked up two wickets against India in a crucial position. 

It hasn’t been a smooth journey for the star batter. There was a beautiful moment that Australia Women’s Cricket Team shared through a video on their official Twitter handle. It was regarding Sana’s first interaction with Elysse Perry, whom she has admired a lot from the start of his career. 

“Can I talk to Perry?" Fatima asked Jess Jonnasen before adding, “Yes, I was 11 when she was winning the World Cup.” Three years later, the current Pakistan captain would rub shoulders with Perry in the same dressing room for the Phoenix in the Women’s The Hundred 2026. Just like every other player in the game, Fatima has gone through ups and downs in her career, and he has come a long way with her superb all-round show with both bat and ball in hand in crunch moments.

From Karachi's streets to the green jersey — How Fatima Sana's journey began

Sana’s cricketing journey began in the early 2000s in Karachi, which is the largest metropolis of Pakistan. Without a shadow of doubt, Cricket is the most widely played sport in the country, and the international cricketers- men or women- always get their first taste of the game on the streets.

Ad Karachi, which is the home to more than 20 million people, is known for its vibrant tape-ball cricket scene. This involves playing with a tennis ball covered with electric tape and allowing it to get control when being used on the rugged streets of the neighborhood.

Like several notable men’s players from Karachi in the past, including the Mohammad brothers, Hanif, Raees, Sadiq, Wazir, and Mushtaq, Javed Miandad, Shahid Afridi, Moin Khan, Rashid Latif, Saeed Anwar, and recently Sarfaraz Ahmed, Fatima is a product of Karachi’s decade-long old-cricket street culture.

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She grew up as an aspiring fast bowler in Nazimabad, a famous middle-class suburb in the northwest region of Karachi, which is well known as the city’s breeding ground for cricketers. Sana honed her skills on the streets. Like many young players, their first opponents were her older brothers and friends.  

Her siblings would get engaged in a battle with anyone who would doubt Sana’s playing abilities. The eldest, Shehroz Sana-ul-Haq, was an aspiring cricketer himself but walked away from the game due to a stable profession upon his parents’ insistence. Even though he failed, Shehroz ensured that his sister would live her dream.

Fatima got enrolled in a zonal women’s cricket competition as Shahroz taught her sister how to bowl fast, besides registering at a local cricket academy. Then aged 11, she was the youngest player of the event and stood out for her fast bowling skills.

During the early days, many coaches suggested Sana should turn into a spin bowler in the context of how many women would usually prefer the slow bowling. However, a fan of James Anderson and Shoaib Akhtar, Fatima loved the control and swing of Anderson and the pace of Akhtar to bowl faster.

Why Pakistan needed a fast-bowling leader — And how Sana stepped up

The upcoming star pacer propelled her career with some impressive and stellar performances in domestic cricket. She featured in the under-21 cricket at the age of just 13 and senior domestic cricket two years later.

It was back in 2019 when Fatima’s career took off when she was picked by the then-Pakistan captain, Sana Mir, for a domestic T20 event. Sana took seven wickets in as many games for the champions of the competition and made her debut in the national side just two months later.

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“What impressed us (the selectors) the most about Fatima Sana was her desire to become a big player. I found her eager to learn from the experienced players – always full of questions about the game. Her keenness to perform well for the team and herself made her stand out. Pakistan needed a player like her, so we backed her.” The former cricket and then-turn selector, Marina Iqbal, noted to AI Jazeera.

Sana continued to grow by leaps and bounds with some bright performances and earned the award of the PCB’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year in 2020. Just a year later, she went a step forward and became the very first Pakistan woman player to win the ICC Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year award. Eventually, the doors of the T20 franchise leagues around the globe will open in the West Indies, Dubai, and New Zealand.  

Pakistan were one of the earliest Asian countries to enter women’s international cricket in 1997. However, there was a lack of dedication towards women’s cricket in the country for the clubs to train and nurture the aspiring players.

Fatima was doing well in pace bowling, but her all-rounder soul was yet to perform at the biggest stage and was eager to improve her batting as she was encouraged by the former Pakistan head coach, David Hemp, in 2020. Six years later, the results are there before everyone.

Leading the Pakistan cricket team, irrespective of men’s and women’s, comes with pressure as it remains one of the toughest jobs, which comes with numerous demands and relentless scrutiny. But Fatima has the power to deal with such situations.

Fatima Sana shows courage to play amidst challenges after her father’s death

It was an emotional evening in Dubai for Fatima, who sang the national anthem of Pakistan before their must-win clash against New Zealand in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Her face was telling a story as she covered her face as if to hide the tears after the game was finished, to conceal the pain that hit her after her father passed away.

On one hand, there was the grief as Fatima tried to endure after the personal tragedy. On the other hand, there were her father’s dreams- dreams of seeing his daughter represent the country on the world stage with pride. It was also an important clash for Pakistan, which had the chance to qualify for the semifinals of the event.

Despite being on his deathbed, Fatima’s father advised Sana not to return to him and stay back in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to play in the World Cup.

“I knew the night before that he had suddenly fallen sick. I wanted to catch a flight to reach home before I got any negative news. But I was also worried that the team would not win if I left. My father told me through a video call not to come home, asking me to stay there and appreciating us for playing good cricket and continuing it.” She expressed on India Today.

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The 24-year-old later went back home in Karachi to attend her father’s funeral. But she again had to make a choice between staying back and returning for their last league game after being absent from the clash against Australia. Eventually, she gathered courage and selected the latter.

“My father dreamed of watching me play in the World Cup. When he got to know that I am the captain, he was very happy, and he wished that I did well and our team won. I played against New Zealand to fulfil my father’s dream. He had told my mother not to inform me about his condition and let me play for Pakistan.” The Pakistan captain addressed.

The spells that made selectors stop and watch — Fatima Sana's defining moments

In her career, Fatima has featured in 58 innings of the Women’s ODIs, where she has smashed 785 runs at an average of 18.25 at a strike rate of 81.01 with the help of five half-centuries and the best score of an unbeaten 90 runs.

In the shortest format, the numbers are much better. Inside the 41 innings of the WT20Is, Sana has clubbed 770 runs at an average of 35 and a blistering strike rate of 139.24, thanks to three half-centuries at the best score of 90.

See Also: Smriti Mandhana’s story: The small-town girl who conquered world cricket

With the ball, she has picked up 82 wickets in 58 innings of the 50-over games at an average of 27.79, thanks to four four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul at the best bowling figures of 5/39. In the T20Is, she has bagged 53 wickets in 57 innings at an average of 26.18 and an economy rate of 7.52.

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana’s story and rise in women’s cricket- FAQs